The present invention generally relates to the field of the design of executables, and particularly to a system and method for scannable executable design.
The Internet, and particularly the World Wide Web, has become a powerful resource and tool to users from a wide range of backgrounds and occupations. One force driving the ever-increasing growth of the Internet is the proliferation of personal and small business web pages. The content and functionality of these web pages are as varied as the minds used to create them. For example, a user may create a web page including everything from pictures of the family pet and vacation descriptions to e-commerce and the incorporation of very specialized and detailed knowledge on a wide range of topics, such as technical papers and doctoral theses. However, creation of a web page typically requires an understanding of basic computer operation and programming. The creation of links, home pages, entry of images, backgrounds, and the like may be foreign to the knowledge and experience of the typical user. Users desiring the acquisition of this knowledge must typically turn to texts, programs, and gain experience through hours of interaction with a computer before acquiring even the basic skills needed.
One method utilized to address this concern allows a user to interact with web site creation programs to produce their own web site. However, interaction with these programs still requires basic computer knowledge and familiarity with terms and ideas that in many instances are foreign to a user. Further, these programs typically do not offer the ability to format the web site as the user envisioned it. Rather, the program typically formats the site into a template already created by the program, thereby limiting the user""s creativity.
Additionally, a user may wish to take advantage of exposure on the Internet, to have an xe2x80x9cInternet presencexe2x80x9d, even if the user is not Internet connected. For example, a user may own a small business and wish to advertise goods that are available for sale. To advertise the goods, the business owner may wish to have web pages published displaying pictures of available goods and a phone number wherein a caller may contact the business to purchase the goods. The efficacy of such advertising does not require the business owner to be Internet connected. However, many such business owners who are not Internet connected may also be without significant computer knowledge, and therefor may find the creation of an executable, such as a web page, difficult if not impossible to accomplish, thereby requiring the hiring of a programmer.
Further, users may desire to create other executables for use with an information handling system. Automated forms, questionnaires, and other data manipulation and entry methods require even greater knowledge of computer programming and operation to design. Further, even users that have a working knowledge of programming may have difficulty in designing an executable in a manner that closely resembles the desired format. For example, a user may wish to create an automated form similar to the one used by the user in paper form for years. Creating an executable that closely resembles the form may require detailed programming knowledge. This requirement leaves many users with no other alternative than to turn to a professional computer programmer to design the executable, which may be expensive and time consuming.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a means of creating an executable in which a person may interact and create the executable in a manner readily understandable to a wide range of users.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a system and method for scannable executable design. In a first aspect of the present invention, a system and method for developing an executable includes scanning an image and identifying a representation of a user interface element included in the scanned image. An executable is then formatted to include a user interface element corresponding to the identified representation of the user interface element.
In a second aspect of the present invention, a representation of a user interface element suitable for scanning includes an object representing the user interface element capable of being positioned on a medium. The object is capable of being identified as corresponding to the user interface element so that when the object is scanned, an executable is formatted to include the user interface element corresponding to the identified representation of the user interface element. For example, it may be desirable to include the objects as a kit suitable for sale so as to enable a user without even fundamental computer knowledge to design and create web pages, thereby enabling the user to create an Internet presence.
It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.